Tornado Safety Tips
If you're in a house with a basement: Get into the basement and under sturdy protection (like a work bench or table) or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Avoid being under heavy objects on the floor above you (i.e. refrigerator).
If you're in a house with NO basement: Avoid windows and go to a room in the center of the building, like a bathroom or closet, under a stairwell or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor facing down and cover your head with your hands. Surround yourself with pillows or couch cushions.
If you're in a mobile home: Get out! Even tied down, a mobile home is not safe in a tornado.
If you're outdoors: Find a sturdy building if possible. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back or your head with your arms. Stay away from objects that could be moved by the wind.
If you're in a vehicle: Park the automobile out of traffic lanes. Get to a sturdy building, or get to low ground and lie flat, face-down. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges.
If you're at a school: Listen to teaching staff or administration for directions. Auditoriums, gyms and other free-span rooms are not an ideal shelter. Go to interior rooms on the lowest floor, but avoid halls that open to the outside in any direction. Stay away from glass. Crouch and cover your head with your hands.
If you're at a shopping center, hospital or factory: Go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor. Stay away from glass-enclosed places or areas with wide-span roofs. Crouch down and cover your head with your hands.
Tornado Myths and Facts
Myth: Areas near lakes, rivers and mountains are safe from tornadoes.
Fact: No place is safe from tornadoes. A tornado near Yellowstone Nat'l Park left a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 foot mountain.
Myth: Windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage.
Fact: Leave windows alone. The most important action is to immediately go to a safe shelter.
Myth: If you are driving and a tornado is sighted, you should turn and drive at right angles to the storm.
Fact: The best thing to do is to seek the best available shelter. Many people are injured or killed when remaining in their vehicles.
Myth: People caught in the open should seek shelter under highway overpasses.
Fact: Take shelter in a sturdy reinforced building if at all possible. Overpasses, ditches, and culverts may provide limited protection from a tornado, but your risk will be greatly reduced by moving inside to a strong building.
More Facts
- In an average year, tornadoes cause 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries nationwide.
- Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, but are found most frequently in the U.S.
- Tornadoes can produce winds in excess of 250 mph.
- Tornadoes can be more than a mile wide and stay on the ground for more than 50 miles.
- The average tornado moves from southwest to northeast, but they have been known to move in any direction.
- Waterspouts are tornadoes which form over warm water.
- Tornadoes can occur any time of the year.
- Twisters are most likely to occur between 3 and 9 p.m., but can happen at any time.
